Game



Oef. 27, 1942. `c. u. DEATQN GAME Filed Jan. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Flex-3.

I INVENTOR CHARLES U. DEAToN l ATTORNEY Patented ocr. 27, 1942 UNITED yS'IA'I'ES PA'll-NIy OFFICE 2,299,803 J l 4f Charles U. Deaton, Centrala, 111. e Applicationr January s, 1940, serial No. 312,969

soiaims. (Crais- 135i This invention relates generally to amusement games and, more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in amusement games comprising manually movable and manipulative pieces and playable by a number of competing t players involving both skill aswell as the element of chance.

My invention has for its primary objects the provision of a game of the type stated which is both instructive and interesting, which may be continued over a comparatively long period of time so as to provide a full evenings entertainl,

e ment, which is uniquely designed to call upon and movable pieces, which may be inexpensively constructed, which are durable and compact,

which are co-operable in the carrying on of the game, and which are readily portable and easily manipulative, and which are highly efficient in the performance of their intended functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, andV (,:ombination. of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings. (2 sheets),

Figure 1 is a plan vievvof aboard of myinvention forming part of my present game;

Figure 2is a top plan view of one of the irregularly shaped shiftable members or -so-called pools concealed for location within the board ofjFigllre l;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional `view of the board, taken approximately along the line 3 3, Figure 1: L

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional views kof the board, illustrating the pool-locating ico-operation therewith of the movable pieces or so-called derricks of the game;

Fig-ure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional vieWfof the board of my present invention, illustrating a slightly modified form of member or so-called pool concealed for location within the board; l

Figure 'l is a plan View of a slightly modified form of board of my invention also forming part of my present game;

Cil

Figure 8 is atransverse sectional view of the modified board, taken approximately along the 1ine8--B, Figure 7; and e Figure 9 is .anwenlarged fragmentary perspective view' of the modified board, also illustrating the pool-locating coi-operation ytherewith of some ofthe movable pieces of the game.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to `the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, the board A of Athe `present game is` preferably rectangular in form and includes a frame a constructed of four side strips I suitably kI nitereol or otherwise joined at their ends and provided on their respective `inner face with a pair of spaced parallel grooves-2, 3. l

`Adhesively or otherwise marginally secured in the grooves 2, 3, respectively, are upper .and lower panels b, c, which are each lformed preferably of ply wood or other suitable material, and which flatwise extend transversely across the interior of the frame a in spaced parallelrelation in the provision Within-the frame a of an enclosed intermediate space-or chamber `Lthe upper panel b Ibeing lprovided with a plurality of relatively small apertures or holes 5 opening-into the chamber 4 and arranged in either regular or irregular indiscriminatelypositioned relationship, as may be desired. Y

The outer or playing 4face-ii of the upper panel b is painted or otherwise decorated or formed to simulate a large tract of land and may be provided with a plurality of cartographical indicia or symbols, such as the lcontour lines 1,

The land Yarea simulated by the playing face 6 of panel b is further subdivided lby a plurality of so-called boundary-lines 8 into a plurality of either ,regular` or irregular so-called tracts each so arranged `or disposed as to contain either one or more of the holes oropenings 5.

At any desired locationon the playing panelface 6, preferably, however, in a corner, as shown, there is painted or otherwise marked ofi an enclosure 9 designated, in the present instance, refinery and preferably embellished with orV by apictorial `representation lresembling an cil relinery. l e

Also painted orotherwise imprinted upon, and extending outwardly from the refinery 'Siv in an irregular path across, the playing face 6 of panel b, is aso-called pipeline I0, all as best seen in Figure 1 and for purposes presently fully appearing.

Freely disposed within the chamber 4 of the r board A, is a plurality Aof preferably irregularly shaped blocks or so-called pools d of sufcient thickness to t snugly, but not tightly, between the opposed inner faces of the upper and lower panels b, c, so that, as the board A is shaken, the members or blocks d will rst slide, shift, or move freely about and then come to rest at various undetermined positions Within the chamber 4. In this connection, it should be noted that the holes or openings are of such reduced diameter as to eliminate the possibility therethrough of any surreptitious views into the chamber 4 for unfairly visually locating the respective position of the several pools or blocks d.

Provided for co-operation with the board A, is a plurality of playing-pieces in the form, in the present instance, of so-called well-derricks B,

each of which includes a body-member II constructed preferably of wood or other suitable material and painted or otherwise formed to simulate a conventional oil derrick or drill rig and axially bored, as at I2, to shiftably accommodate a pin or so-called well-rod I3 normally projecting downwardly from the under side of the'derrick B, as at I4, and provided at its opposite end with a ilag or the like I5 normally concealed Within the body member I I and displaying, in the present instance, the word oil, the pin-end I4 having a diametral dimension corresponding to the reduced diametral dimension of the several respective holes 5.

Also provided for co-operation with the board A, is a plurality of preferably hemi-spherical markers C each having a short outwardly projecting stud I6 sized for engagement within an aperture or opening 5, and a plurality of so-called pumps D each also provided with an outwardly projecting stud Il likewise sized for `engagement within an aperture or opening 5, Yall as best seen in Figures 3 and 4. e

Preferably, though not necessarily, the derricks B and the markers C and pumps D maybe provided in sets of varying colors, so that each player may have a certain number of derricks B, markers C, and pumps D in a particular'color of his choosing for purposes of identification throughout the game. In addition, a plurality of short lengths of tubing of any conventional size and shape (not shown) may be used for imaginary connection between any one of the pumps D and the pipe-line ID.

In use and in playing the game, the board A is first shaken to shift and thereby re-locate in unknown positions the blocks or poolsd, so that the pools d will respectively underlie and block off or obstruct certain of the holes or openings 5. One of the players is then selected according to the rules of the game to act as banker and operate the bank, which, at the outset, consists of a predetermined supply of artificial money in varying denominations and all of the derricks B, pumps D, and the pipe-line II). The player so banking the game then parcels out a predetermined amount of money to each of the players, who thereupon take turns. When his turn comes, each player may use his money to buyl one or more tracts of land anywhere on the board A. Such land tracts may have varying prices, depending upon the number of drill holes or openings 5 thereon, or may have a xed price depending upon the particular rules decided upon by the players. Initially all the-land tracts belong to the bank and the player must purchase his tract by paying the stipulated price to the banker. Obviously, during the initial stages of the game, all of the players will be busily occupied in acquiring land holdings at Various localities on the board where they think oil may eventually be discovered.

After a player has acquired one or more tracts of land, he may decide to drill on his holdings. To do this, he may, when his next turn comes, purchase from the bank at a price stipulated in the rules of the game, a derrick or drill-rig B and may then drill on his land by inserting the extended end I4 of the drill rod I3 in an opening or drill hole 5 of any one of his tracts. As will be seen by reference to Figures fl and 5, in the event that such selected hole or opening 5 is not i blocked or obstructed by a concealed oil pool d,

the projected end I4 of the drill rod I3 will extend downwardly through the particular opendicating that the player has struck oil.

ing 5 into the chamber 4 and such player will immediately learn that he has drilled a dry hole, as yit is called in the oil industry. Ii, on the other hand, one of the pools d happens to be located beneath his tract, the extended drill-end I4 will abuttingly engage against the upper face of the so located pool d, and the drill rod I3 will be shifted upwardly in relation to the body member II, thereby projecting the indicia-nag I5 upwardly from the top of the derrick B and in- It will, of course, be apparent that, as soon as any player strikes oil, there will be a boom in his neighborhood, and if he has acquired fairly extensive land holdings in the region of his producing well, the other players may be unable to offset his production by drilling wells in neighboring tracts.

As soon as the player has so successfully drilled a producing well or struck oil, he must, on his next turn, remove his derrick B and substitute therefor a pump D, which must be purchased for a stipulated price from the banker and must be connected to the pipe-line I by tubing also purchased from the banker at a stipulated price per unit of length. vIf the player is fortunate enough to strike oil ata point relatively close to the pipe-line IS, the cost of installing a pump D to dispose of his oil will be relatively small. On the other hand, if the player is unfortunate enough to strike oil relatively remote from the pipe-line, the cost of installing his pump D and pipe his well may be considerable.

In addition, it maybe included as one of the rules of the game that any player who must pipe his oil to a pipe-line across tracts of land owned by other players must necessarily buy an easement or right of way from the players'who own the property across which he must pipe his oil. It will, of course, be apparent that such a rule introduces into the 'game a considerable element of business sagacity. Obviously all players will endeavor to acquire their tracts of land in such a way that they will have an avenue of approach to the pipe-line which they themselves own. On the other hand, other players may endeavor to monopolize the strips of land adjacent to the pipe-line, so as to exact tribute from all other players who may discover oil. Needless to say, the rules of the game may be so arranged as to provide a fixed price for the easement or may even provide for auctioning or bargaining as to the price of an easement. In the latter case, the players will, of course, try to purchase easements 'f across the land owned by the other players before drilling, so that, in the event they are successful in striking oil, the cost of the easement will not be excessive.

As soon as a player has succeeded in striking oil, installing his pump, and connecting it to the he owns.

wlated fortune and become the winner.

pipe-line, `he thereafter receives a recurring dividend or .payment from the bank upon each turn. This payment is preferably a stipulated or iixed sum provided by the rules `and is paid by derrick B from an unproductive or dry hole, he must cap the hole by buying back from the banker a plug or marker C with whichto cap his well. He may thereupon drill on any other tract of land which he happens to own. Each time that the player removes his derrick from the site of a drilling operation, he must cover the drillk hole with a producing pump D or cap it with a marker C. l

If desired, a number of other rules may be employed to add further intriguing complications to the game. For instance, the element of fwild catting :may be introduced by permitting any on any tract on which he has obtained a lease and may move his derrick oi of the leased property without being required to cap or otherwise cover the drill hole, this latter obligation resting upon the land owner. If the wild catter strikes oil, the land owner will receive a stipulated share of the recurring dividends or payments which are made by the banker to the wild catter thereafter throughout the game.

As soon as a player has consumed all of his stipulated amount of money, or, as the saying is, goes brokef he is out of the game. On the other hand, as soon as any one player builds a fortune of a stipulated amount, he is declared the winner. As will be evident, it is quite possible that any one of the players may amass the stipu- On the other hand, all of the players may go broke and the banker may be the winner. If desired, a player whose supply of money is running low may acquire additional funds by leasing his land to other players, to wild catters, or even by negotiating a mortgage with the bank. A player who has mortgaged his land must pay a stipulated amount of interest to the bank each time his turn comes around. If, at any time, he does not have enough money to meet his interest pay-V ment, the banker may foreclose.

I have also found that it is possible to provide a modified form of pool d', which is marginally provided with a plurality of steps I8, I9, of varying depth. Such pools introduce an additional hazard into the game. dent by reference to Figure 6, a player may drill on the edge of a pool and thereby locate a well which yields a fractional portion of full well production. Under such circumstances, he can only receive an accordingly proportionate part of his dividend or royalty, as the case may be.

I may also provide a game board A, which is substantially identical in all respects to the game If, however, he wishes to remove a` As will be evi- Y board A.

board A,- except that the enclosed space or chamber li thereof is provided witha large number of more or less `regularly contoured blocks 20` of derrick upon his land, the projecting pin 2l strikes one of the obstructing blocks 20, obviously the derrick B cannot be successfully installed over that particular hole or aperture. Therefore, the player may be said to have drilled a dry hole. If, on the other hand, the particular aperture into which the `projection 2| is inserted overlies a crevice or space between the obstructing blocks 20, the projection 2l will extend freely down into the space and the derrick will come to rest flush upon the upper yface of the game may be said to have struck oil. In all other respects, the game may be played according to the various rules and regulations above described in connection with the game board A.

It will also be apparent that a game board constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention may be employed with dii-Tering rules for a wide variety of games, such as coal mine, in which game the object is to strike coal rather than oil and the incidents and rules of the game drawn up in such a way as to simulate the various hazards of the coal business. Similarly, the game board of my invention may be used to play a warfare game, such as submarine, in which it becomes an object to locate and sink submarines by the use of so-called depth bombs. Under such circumstances, the pieces B used by the players which, in the present instance, are in the form of oil derricks, may bev shaped to simulate a destroyer or battleship, or even an airplane bomber.

The game is exceedingly amusing and interesting, and it should be understood that changes and modications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the game may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a game, a board comprising a frame hav- `ing a panel provided with a plurality of spaced openings, members shiftable within the frame `and under said panel for concealably obstructing some of said openings, and playing-pieces movable over the panel and each including a body member and a rod shiftably mounted in and kprojecting at an end from the body member for insertion into a selected panel-opening and adapted, upon encountering an obstructed aperture, to shift relative to the body member for visually indicating the location of one of said members.

2. In a game, a board comprising a frame having a panel provided with a plurality of spaced Under such circumstances, the player f at one end from the body portion for insertion into a selected one of said openings and being adapted, upon encountering an obstruction, to shift axially through the body portion and become exposed at its other end for Visually indicating the location of one of said members.

3. In a game, a board comprising a frame, a pair of panels mounted in the frame in spaced parallel relationship, one of said panels being provided with a plurality of apertures, and a l0 block having an irregular peripheral contour and a thickness substantially equal to the distance between the inner faces of the panels for pre- Venting relative tilting movement of the block with respect to the panels, said block being disposed in freely shifting concealed relation between said panels for interposition beneath some Y of said apertures depending upon the position in which the block comes to rest.

CHARLES U. DEATON. 

